42 U.S. Code § 306 - Definitions

(a)For the purposes of this subchapter, the term “old-age assistance” means money payments to, or (if provided in or after the third month before the month in which the recipient makes application for assistance) medical care in behalf of or any type of remedial care recognized under State law in behalf of, needy individuals who are 65 years of age or older, but does not include any such payments to or care in behalf of any individual who is an inmate of a public institution (except as a patient in a medical institution). Such term also includes payments which are not included within the meaning of such term under the preceding sentence, but which would be so included except that they are made on behalf of such a needy individual to another individual who (as determined in accordance with standards prescribed by the Secretary) is interested in or concerned with the welfare of such needy individual, but only with respect to a State whose State plan approved under section
302 of this title includes provision for—

(1)determination by the State agency that such needy individual has, by reason of his physical or mental condition, such inability to manage funds that making payments to him would be contrary to his welfare and, therefore, it is necessary to provide such assistance through payments described in this sentence;

(2)making such payments only in cases in which such payments will, under the rules otherwise applicable under the State plan for determining need and the amount of old-age assistance to be paid (and in conjunction with other income and resources), meet all the need of the individuals with respect to whom such payments are made;

(3)undertaking and continuing special efforts to protect the welfare of such individual and to improve, to the extent possible, his capacity for self-care and to manage funds;

(4)periodic review by such State agency of the determination under paragraph (1) of this subsection to ascertain whether conditions justifying such determination still exist, with provision for termination of such payments if they do not and for seeking judicial appointment of a guardian or other legal representative, as described in section
1311 of this title, if and when it appears that such action will best serve the interests of such needy individual; and

(5)opportunity for a fair hearing before the State agency on the determination referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection for any individual with respect to whom it is made.

At the option of a State (if its plan approved under this subchapter so provides), such term

(i) need not include money payments to an individual who has been absent from such State for a period in excess of 90 consecutive days (regardless of whether he has maintained his residence in such State during such period) until he has been present in such State for 30 consecutive days in the case of such an individual who has maintained his residence in such State during such period or 90 consecutive days in the case of any other such individual, and

(ii) may include rent payments made directly to a public housing agency on behalf of a recipient or a group or groups of recipients of assistance under such plan.

1972—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–603authorized the State, at its option, to include within term “old-age assistance” provisions relating to money payments to an individual absent from such State for more than 90 consecutive days, and provisions relating to rent payments made directly to a public housing agency.

1965—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–97, § 221(a)(1), struck out from definition of “old-age assistance” the exclusion of (1) payments to or medical care in behalf of any individual who is a patient in an institution for tuberculosis or mental diseases, or (2) payments to any individual who has been diagnosed as having tuberculosis or psychosis and is a patient in a medical institution as a result thereof, or (3) medical care in behalf of any individual, who is a patient in a medical institution as a result of a diagnosis that he has tuberculosis or psychosis, with respect to any period after the individual has been a patient in such an institution, as a result of such diagnosis, for forty-two days.

Pub. L. 89–97, § 402(a), extended definition of “old-age assistance” to include payments made on behalf of the recipient to an individual who (as determined in accordance with the standards prescribed by the Secretary) is interested in or concerned with the welfare of the recipient and inserted an enumeration of the five characteristics required of State plans under which such payments can be made, including provision for finding of inability to manage funds, payment to meet all needs, special efforts to protect welfare, periodic review, and opportunity for fair hearing.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–97, §§ 221(a)(2),
222(a), struck out from provision at end of cl. (12) excluding certain payments from definition of “medical assistance for the aged” payments with respect to care or services for any individual who is a patient in an institution for tuberculosis or mental diseases or for any individual who is a patient in a medical institution as a result of a diagnosis of tuberculosis or psychosis, with respect to any period after the individual has been a patient in such an institution, for forty-two days and inserted in text preceding cl. (1) “(except, for any month, for recipients of old-age assistance who are admitted to or discharged from a medical institution during such month)” after “who are not recipients of old-age assistance”, respectively.

1962—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87–543, § 156(a)(1), inserted “(if provided in or after the third month before the month in which the recipient makes application for assistance)” before “medical care”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 87–543, § 156(a)(2), inserted “(if provided in or after the third month before the month in which the recipient makes application for assistance)” after “care and services”.

1960—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86–778, § 601(f)(1), (2), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted provisions excluding from definition of “old-age assistance” any care in behalf of any individual, who is a patient in a medical institution as a result of a diagnosis that he has tuberculosis or psychosis, with respect to any period after the individual has been a patient in an institution, as a result of such diagnosis, for forty-two days.

Amendment by section 221 ofPub. L. 89–97applicable in the case of expenditures made after Dec. 31, 1965, under a State plan approved under this subchapter, see section 221(e) ofPub. L. 89–97, set out as a note under section
302 of this title.

Pub. L. 89–97, title II, § 222(c),July 30, 1965, 79 Stat. 360, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section
1385 of this title] shall apply in the case of expenditures under a State plan approved under title I or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 1381 et seq.] with respect to care and services provided under such plan after June 1965.”

Pub. L. 89–97, title IV, § 402(e),July 30, 1965, 79 Stat. 418, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections
1206,
1355, and
1385 of this title] shall apply in the case of expenditures made after December 31, 1965, under a State plan approved under title I, X, XIV or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq.].”

Effective Date of 1962 Amendment

Pub. L. 87–543, title I, § 156(e),July 25, 1962, 76 Stat. 207, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections
606,
1206, and
1355 of this title] shall apply in the case of applications made after September 30, 1962, under a State plan approved under title I, IV, X, or XIV of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 601 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq.].”

Act Aug. 28, 1950, ch. 809, title III, § 303(b),64 Stat. 549, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect October 1, 1950, except that the exclusion of money payments to needy individuals described in clause (a) or (b) of section 6 of the Social Security Act as so amended [clauses (a) or (b) of this section] shall, in the case of any of such individuals who are not patients in a public institution, be effective July 1, 1952.”